MOVIE OF THE WEEK: Melancholia

"Melancholia" is one hell of a film. It's a beautiful composition of artful cinematography, masterful ensemble acting and a smart script. The film tells the story of a young bride (amazingly portrayed by Kirsten Dunst) suffering with depression in the midst of her wedding and the subsequent apocalypse. Yes it's a downer, but one can't help but admire this well-structured production. With solid direction (possibly due to von Trier's own experiences with depression) and a superlative lead performance by Dunst, the film attempts to sink you into it's "doom-and-gloom". Dunst really owns her role, as she creates an annoyingly depressed character. Her character and the film as a whole seems to take strange comfort in the annihilation of humanity, building up to an unsettling, but enthralling climax.